Topic: Life Observations

What is the point is that the bad things have just as much of an important place in our lives as the good things do.

Yes, I will admit we all hate the bad things and wish they did not exist. We despise them most while we are going through them. But at the same time, we gain from them.

For example, my family had a rough week a couple weeks ago. First I forgot something important and then, most of all, my family had trouble with illness.

THE BADGE

To start off, I forgot my badge my first day back at work for the week, which was Tuesday. I do not live particularly close to where I work, and I had to drive all the way home and all the way back again.

Although it meant I lost some work and income that day, it did give me some more time to rest and think, which is perhaps something I needed. At the same time, it also helped me learn to be more responsible and to pay closer attention to what I do in order to prevent future issues.

THE BUG

The biggest struggle that week, however, was the family taking turns having a stomach bug.

All day at work on Tuesday I did not feel well and had terrible heartburn. I thought it was something that would wear off.

That night and through the next day, my son and I both became quite sick. I have never been able to handle any sickness very well, and stomach bugs are particularly rough, even the relatively mild ones.

I spent a lot of time praying and moaning, wishing it would all just stop forever.

In our pitiful human condition, we take a lot for granted. We don't appreciate the wonderful things that we have all the time. Such as health.

We need bad things such as illnesses to teach us to appreciate our health. When we are reminded of how bad we can feel, we notice how good we actually feel all the rest of the time.

Additionally, I did a lot of thinking about my prayers to God.

As I mentioned, I did a lot of praying asking for it to stop. But while I was doing so, I realized that it is in times like this I pray the most. And I was praying mainly for myself.

That is not right.

I need to spend more time it prayer all the time. I need to "pray without ceasing" (New King James Version, 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

But I cannot pray more if I pray only for myself. There are other prayers that need to be said as well.

Other people have needs. Additionally, I should "rejoice always" and "in everything give thanks" (5:16, 18).

In our current human condition, we need the bad to highlight and produce the good.